ALLURE KOREA - translated interview

by Natalya AmresMay 28, 2019

Hey guys, here is the raw, unedited interview I did for Allure Korea!

**START**

1. First, please introduce yourself to the Allure Korea audience

My name is Natalya Amres and I’m the cut and sew designer behind Remixed by Tal. I live in Toronto, Canada and went to school for Fashion Business Management where I learned the business side of clothing retail. After graduating, I taught myself how to use a sewing machine and used my skills to start reworking clothing.

2. Recently many brands have been asking you to collaborate. How do you feel?

In the span of one year, I’ve done collaborations with brands such as Jordan, Kappa and Adidas and have developed relationships with other reputable brands as well. It’s an overwhelmingly great feeling to have brands trust my creativity and work ethic. It’salso a bit tricky trying to work with competing brands while being a freelance entrepreneur. I’m still such a small company, so in order to grow, I need to expand outwards and say yes to as many big opportunities possible!

3. Let’s talk about the first time you started this work. When did you begin this job? And how did you get interested in remixing?

I taught myself how to sew in 2012 via Youtube and I’ve been reworking my own clothing ever since. Last year February I started to post the cut and sew process on my Instagram story and my viewers seemed to love watching the clothing be made. I posted about one piece a day and everything was selling out almost immediately! I’ve never gotten so much positive feedback on my work before so I knew this was something I could build on. I stuck with remixing ever since!

4. Please explain the remixing process.

For me, the design process is a bit unconventional. Since I have to deconstruct garments before sewing them back together, I usually don’t draw out the design beforehand. I take apart the piece of clothing and then lay it out in different ways to visualize multiple design options. Once I decide which option I like best, then I can start pinning it together, then sewing.

5. What is the most difficult part of the remixing process?

There are a few key obstacles in reworking branded clothing as a business. First, because every design is one of one, it is very difficult to keep a consistent flow of product since each piece requires a new cut and sew process which takes a lot more time and mental energy. Secondly, sizing is a huge challenge because since there is limited material to work with, you need to make sure you’re not making any of the wrong incisions and being extremely careful that you’re keeping the fabric in perfect condition since it can’t be replicated in most cases.

6. The unique cutting and combination is impressive in your design. What is the special focus of your design?

My main focus when deciding how I want to design my piece is thinking about the person who will be wearing it or the person that I envision wearing it. If I’m designing for a specific person, I research their style and look at what clothing they gravitate to. This makes it easier to capture their personality in the outfit which is the most important factor.

7. Are there any objects or characters that are inspired?

I’m really inspired by people, rather than objects. I take a lot of inspiration from designers that I idolize such as Yoon Ahnof Ambush. Alexandra Hackett aka “Mini Swoosh”, and Olivia O’Blanc. They all have something in common with each other and that’s the ability to collaborate with established brands to produce entire product lines with their own added flare to it.

8. Is there anyone who wants to do collaboration?

I will not be able to publicize any upcoming collaborations prior to them happening, but I do have a few projects lined up for the summer that are definitely worth looking forward to!

9. What is the ultimate goal of you and Remixed by Tal?

Each day my vision gets clearer. The main goal I’m focused on at the moment is developing my own product line and getting in into production. Once I have that figured out, I can share my work with more people on a larger scale.

10. Let me know if you have any interesting plans for this year.

Currently I’m working on refining my branding and designing my first personal collection. I’m very excited for what’s to come this year and my goal is to make it even better than the last!